Algae and/or cyanobacteria blooms are increasingly invading Quebec’s waters, with some 500 bodies of water affected in the past 10 years. Methods for tracking these microorganisms are costly and labour-intensive, but satellite imaging has shown real promise as a way to monitor their development. However, early detection of blooms in freshwater is a challenge. A research team led by INRS professor Karem Chokmani is working to overcome this challenge by developing an approach for monitoring algae blooms near the shores of freshwater lakes that pose the biggest threat of cyanobacteria contamination for the population.